The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1887-02-03

influence to make them come up to the
full measure of usefulness.
If those who complain of poor results
would actively join the public chOol work
! erS aat help to manage the schools, better
reu,t1 would everywhere be attained.
he public schools are here to stay, and
they will gradually be improved i'm
! proved as more to command the respect
and patronage of our people. 1t is the
part of wisdom for all good people to
. recognize these things as facts, and take
an active interest in making the schools
| better. Let us have a better sentiment in
favor OF public education, 20 the end that
the money we do pay may have the best
possible application and results.
1t is a common complaint, that the pub
lie school terms are SO short that they do
not do much good OF course all the
friends of pubic education very much
bat how easy it would be for almost any
reighborhood III the State to supplement
the public funds by private subscriptions,
and have longer terms. Many districts
are now doing this and more will do it as
sentiment IN favor Of educating the people
/ improves. Legislation that tends to i'm
prove the teachers and lengthen the ses-
sious will help TO create favorable senti-
. menf.
In 1884 there was expended in North
Carolina for public schools $3.50, ,311 O6
In 1888 the amount was increased by SOL, =
693 32, and in 1886 it reached the sum of
$3.50, GLIB This increase has not been
made by any increase of valuation of prop
erty or any increase in the rate of taxa
ton. Maj. Finger says: at is due in part
to special ievies in some counties, and in
part to the careful attention of county
officers 10 the enforcement of the law" :"
The CHRONICLE will add third reason:
I The Intelligent zeal and systematic work
/ or the State superintendent who has de
! voted his time to securing all the money
that properly belonged to the school fund.
He has been aided and seconded by the
several County Boards of Education. When
we consider the hard times, it is credita-
bic that any increase has been made.
he increase in the attendance in 1885
over the previous year was IA, 123; in 1886
over 1855 it WAS 17,1S1-a total for the
two years of q 9O4. Referring to atten-
dance Maj. Finger says:
W hen we consider the fact that quite a
large number of small children within the
scll Ol age do not 90 to school, and that
quite a large number OF older ones drop
aUg 0I school before they reach the age of
tNenty-one, the fact appears that a very
large proportion of the children are get
ting at least some education. one of the
itmentabie considerations Is that SO many
OF the poorest people do not avail them
selves of the facilities afforded them. If
lniiuentla! men IN the respective nelghbor-
hoodS would encourage such people, by
advice and otherwise. many could be in
ducee, 10 send their children to school.
Tie whites increased in the two years
17,4'1 and the negroes increased 3,171.
The census shows that there are nearly a
third more white than colored children in
the State, but that the whites increased
proporti0nately much larger The negroes
increased 3,1I in the two years. To have
kept pace with the increase among the
whites there should have been an increase
Of upwards Of ), coo This is significant
fact To those who have said and believed
that the negroes were excelling the whites
in progress and in educational lines. The
contrary is clearly shown here in the pub
lie schools and rs the whites have many
times the number of children as the ne
groes IN the private schools it is seen at a
glance which race is making the greatest
progress.
Ii addition to the general progress not
ed, there has been advance made in pub
lie instruction in the Graded Schools of
which Maj Finger speaks. The instruc-
ton IN the Normal Schools and County
ms tutes is dwelt upon and all colleges
ar recommended to add instruction in
Pedigogics to their regular curriculum.
Maj. Finger, after showing what we
have done, points out the following as
Our Needs.
l. Longer school terms, which will re-
. QuiFe more money.
:, Active and competent Superintend-
ents il all the counties.
3 Permanent Normal Schools for the
preparation of competent teachers.
4 y better sentiment in favor of public
education.
). \ determined effort, not alone at in
tellectual and practical school work, but
also at moral training. and religious train
ing as well, SO far as that can be done
with propriety in the State schools.
trust it will be the pleasure of the
General Assembly, as far as they may be
able 10 meet these needs with appropriate
legislation.
This has been year of adverse judicial
decisions on educational progress. First
came the decision known as the Barksdale
case Ia this the facts. in brief, were
The Commissioners of Sampson in order
to carry out the constitutional require
ment of four months term violated the
constitutional Inhibition that the tax
should not exceed 6Gs on the hundred
dollars worth of property. Both of these
provisions OF the constitution could not
stand. The court decided that the tax
could in no case exceed the constitutional
limitations. Judge Merrimon dssented
and gave it as his opinion that if the re
qurement of a four months school required
it, the tax could exceed the 66S tax. Here
was a decision that operated to prevent
full terms. nder the decision of the
court 1.-The schools cannot be kept open
more than two or three months per annun
if the Commissioners apply their margin
of taxation to other county purposes,
says Supt. Finger.
Second-camc the decision that the
Dortch Local Assessment Act, which pro
yided that the special graded school ia,
from the races should be divided between
them according to the payment wa
unconstitutional both because it does no